Work table

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a work table, consisting of a frame ( 1 ) with a vertical central column ( 5 ) as well as a base ( 6 ) and a height- and tilt-adjustable work surface (3), which is fastened to a support element ( 9 ). The invention is characterized by the fact that on the upper end of the central column ( 5 ) a joint seating device ( 7 ) is provided, about whose horizontal axis ( 17 ) a swivel arm ( 4 ) is arranged in a pivoting manner, wherein the swivel arm ( 4 ) contains another rotary joint ( 18 ), about whose horizontal axis (19) the support element ( 9 ) and the work surface ( 3 ) connected with it are arranged in a pivoting manner. With this work table, a user can easily and quickly realize a change in the working position (upright sitting position, tilted-back almost lying position, standing position).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to the field of the furniture industry. Itrelates to a work table with a height- and tilt-adjustable work table.

STATE OF THE ART

[0002] The height for working on conventional office tables is generallydesigned such that a keyboard can be beneficially operated ergonomicallyin an upright sitting position.

[0003] With the help of familiar table height adjustments it istherefore possible to adjust the height for users of various heights.The height adjustment generally ranges from 68 to 76 cm.

[0004] The continuously upright position however is generally associatedwith problems for the human locomotor system because the intervertebraldisks are exposed to increased pressure.

[0005] Orthopedics and industrial scientists are therefore calling foras frequent a position change as possible. This prevents on the one handthe static tightening of muscles and premature fatigue, on the otherhand it is easier on the intervertebral disks because it causesalternating tightening and relaxing processes for the muscles and thespine.

[0006] Work tables have therefore been developed, with which anadjustment of the work surface to the different user situations can berealized so that a user can work selectively while standing up or whilesitting.

[0007] For example we know from DE 197 46 911 A1 of a desk with aheight-adjustable desk frame and a work top that is fastened to thetable frame. This work top is additionally equipped with a desk top thatis movable in relation to the work top, and a swivel arrangement isprovided in order to allow adjustment of the desk top in relation to thework top with regard to its inclination and height through swivelingabout an axis of rotation, wherein the pivot axis is positioned outsidethe table top so that the table top is raised and lowered at the sametime as the swivel movement. The swivel arrangement comprises a rigidconnecting element that is arranged on the desk frame so as to be ableto swivel about the axis of rotation, with this element carrying thedesk top, and a hand lever, which engages in the connecting element inthe area of the axis of rotation. The disadvantage of this technicalsolution is the fact that the user is not able to change between asitting and a standing activity quickly and as required by therespective situation. It is only when this change can occur with oneoperation that this change can take place as frequently as isergonomically desired. Additionally, the desk adjustment mechanism isnot designed so as to allow a lying working position. For a potentialuser, however, the change between a sitting working position and phasesof lying and standing working positions is particularly importantbecause in the standing working position the spine automatically takeson its natural S-shape, while in the lying position a completerelaxation of the intervertebral disks occurs.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The invention represents an attempt to avoid the above-mentioneddisadvantages of the familiar state of the art. It is based on the taskof developing a work table with a tilt- and height-adjustable worksurface, which enables the user easily and quickly to change betweenupright sitting, almost lying and standing working positions. Theoperation of a keyboard, e.g. on a notebook computer, should be possiblein all three positions without difficulty.

[0009] Based on the invention this is accomplished on a work table,consisting of a frame with a vertical central column as well as a baseand a height- and tilt-adjustable work surface, which is fastened to asupport element, through the fact that at the upper end of the centralcolumn a joint seating device is provided, about whose horizontal axis aswivel arm is seated in a pivoting manner, wherein the swivel armcontains another rotary joint, about whose horizontal axis the supportelement and thus the work surface are seated in a pivoting manner.

[0010] The benefits of the invention consist of the fact that it ispossible to adjust the work surface easily and quickly to the workingheight during lying, sitting and standing positions.

[0011] It is useful if a leg rest, which is fastened to the centralcolumn through a support fork, is incorporated on the central column.This allows the user to rest his legs comfortably in the lying workingposition.

[0012] Furthermore it is useful if the support fork is axiallydisplaceable on the central column and rotatable about the vertical axisbecause this ensures a height and depth adjustment of the leg rest.

[0013] Additionally it is beneficial if the support fork can be rotatedabout the horizontal axis. This allows an individual adjustment of theinclination of the leg rest.

[0014] And finally it is advantageous if the swivel arm and the supportelement are seated in a continuously pivoting manner about thehorizontal axes. This way, individual height adjustments for the abovethree working position is provided.

[0015] It is also beneficial if between the swivel arm and the supportelement a cable pull is arranged because this enables a synchronousrotating coupling between the two parts. The support element is thenalways aligned horizontally when the swivel arm is aligned vertically,while the support element is tilted by about 25° when the swivel arm isaligned horizontally.

[0016] It is useful when in the swivel arm a blockable gas pressurespring is arranged, which on the one hand is arranged in a bearing at anangle beneath the joint seating device and on the other hand in abearing roughly in the center in the swivel arm. This arrangementbetween the central column and the swivel arm causes the gas pressurespring to experience a lift during the swivel motion between thevertical and the horizontal positions of the swivel arm. This liftingmovement can be blocked with the gas pressure spring at any randomlocation, which ensures a swivel fixation of the components and thus afixation of the work surface.

[0017] Furthermore it is beneficial if the gas pressure spring in theunblocked state has a gas spring thrust pressure, which compensates forthe inherent weight of the work surface, the support element and theswivel arm because the user can then swivel the swivel arm away withlittle effort.

[0018] And finally it is useful if the base contains swivel rollers. Thework table can thus be transported without effort.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] The drawing shows an example of the invention. It shows:

[0020]FIG. 1 a side view of an invented work table;

[0021]FIG. 2 a top view of an invented work table;

[0022]FIG. 3 a side view of an invented work table with a user in thelying working position;

[0023]FIG. 4 a side view of an invented work table with a user in thesitting working position;

[0024]FIG. 5 a side view of an invented work table with a user in thestanding working position.

[0025] Only elements that are important for gaining an understanding ofthe invention are shown.

Ways for Executing the Invention

[0026] The invention is explained in the following more in detail basedon an example and the FIGS. 1 through 5.

[0027]FIG. 1 shows a side view of an invented work table. FIG. 2 showsthis table from a top view. The work table consists of a frame 1 with avertical central column 5, a base 6 as well as a swivel arm 4 and a worksurface 3 (shelf), on which a support element 9 is fixed. The worksurface 3 and the support element 9 are screwed together in the presentembodiment.

[0028] The base 6 is equipped with swivel rollers 20 so that the worktable can be moved randomly. A leg rest 2 is mounted on the centralcolumn 5. The leg rest 2 serves the purpose of allowing the user to resthis legs in the lying working position. The leg rest 2 is screwedtogether with a support fork 8, which is fixed axially on the centralcolumn 5 . Fixation occurs via a screw 21 , with which the support fork8 is connected to the central column 5 . The support fork 8 can beshifted and rotated on the central column 5 . This guarantees a heightand depth adjustment (with 180° rotation) of the leg rest 2 . Beyondthat, the leg rest 2 can also be rotated in such a way that the legs ofthe user are positioned selectively to the left or the right of thecentral column 5 . This is indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrows.

[0029] In another embodiment, which is not shown, the support fork 8 ofthe leg rest 2 is seated in a pivoting manner about the horizontal axisso that an individual tilt adjustment of the leg rest 2 is provided.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, a joint seating device 7 , about whosehorizontal axis 17 the swivel arm 4 is seated in a pivoting manner, isarranged at the upper end of the central column 5 . The swivel arm 4contains on its other end another rotary joint 18 , about whosehorizontal axis 19 the above-mentioned carrier element 9 and the worksurface 3 connected with it are seated in a pivoting manner.

[0031] The swivel arm 4 and the support element 9 for the work surface 3are seated continuously rotatable about the horizontal axes 17 and 19 .Through a cable pull 10 a synchronous rotating coupling is ensuredbetween the swivel arm 4 and the support element 9 . The lower cablepull fastener 11 is mounted displaceably on the joint seating device 7 .The upper cable pull fastener 12 is seated displaceably on the supportelement 9 of the work surface 3 . The position of the axes 17, 19defines the synchronized relation between the rotation of the swivel arm14 and the rotation of the support element 9.

[0032] Additionally, in the swivel arm 4 a blockable gas pressure spring13 is arranged, which on one hand is arranged in a bearing 14 at anangle beneath the joint seating device 7 and on the other hand in abearing 15 roughly in the center of the swivel arm 4 in a pivotingmanner. This geometrical arrangement of the gas pressure spring 13causes the gas pressure spring 13 to experience a lift of about 30 mmduring the swivel motion between the vertical and the horizontalpositions of the swivel arm 4 . This lifting movement can be blockedwith the gas pressure spring 13 at any random location, which ensures aswivel fixation of the components and thus a fixation of the worksurface 3 . Beneficially the unblocked gas spring thrust pressure isdesigned in such a way that the inherent weights of the work surface 3 ,the support element 9 for the work surface 3 and the swivel arm 4 arecompensated for and the user can then swivel the swivel arm 4 away withlittle effort.

[0033]FIGS. 3 through 5 show the side views of the invented work tablewith a user in the almost lying, sitting and standing working positions.

[0034] If the swivel arm 4 is designed almost horizontally (FIG. 3), thework surface 3 is at such a height that the keyboard resting on top canbe operated in a tilted-back, lying position.

[0035] If the swivel arm 4 is swiveled slightly upward, then the worksurface 3 has a height, which enables the user to assume an uprightsitting position (FIG. 4).

[0036] If the swivel arm 4 however is swiveled vertically, then thekeyboard can be operated by the user in the standing position (FIG. 5).

[0037] Since the swivel arm 4 and the support element 9 can be rotatedcontinuously about the horizontal axes, an individually differing heightadjustment for the three working position is provided. The synchronousrelation, which can be adjusted by the cable pull 10 , is designed insuch a way that the support element 9 is on one hand alignedhorizontally when the swivel arm 4 is aligned vertically (see FIG. 5)and on the other hand the support element 9 is tilted by about 250 whenthe swivel arm 4 is aligned horizontally (see FIGS. 1, 3).

[0038] This not only ensures the respectively ergonomically beneficialinclination of the work surface 3 at each working height, but alsoguarantees that during the swivel motion the work surface 3 is alwaysaligned such that the keyboard or other objects on the shelf do not falloff.

[0039] The invented work table is easy to operate so that for the user aquick change between different working positions is possible withoutdifficulty and an ergonomically favorable workplace can be realized.

[0040] Of course the invention is not restricted to the exampledescribed.

REFERENCE LIST

[0041] 1 Frame 2 Leg Rest 3 Work Surface/Shelf 4 Swivel Arm 5 CentralColumn 6 Base 7 Joint Seating Device 8 Support Fork for Pos. 2 9 SupportElement for Pos. 3 10 Cable Pull 11 Lower Cable Pull Fastening 12 UpperCable Pull Fastening 13 Gas Pressure Spring 14 Bearing for Pos. 13 15Bearing for Pos. 13 16 Screw 17 Horizontal Axis of Pos. 7 18 RotaryJoint 19 Horizontal Axis of Pos. 4 20 Swivel Rollers

1. Work table, consisting of a frame (1 ) with a vertical central column(5 ) as well as a base (6 ) and a height- and tilt-adjustable worksurface (3 ), which is fastened to a support element (9 ), characterizedby the fact that on the upper end of the central column (5 ) a jointseating device (7 ) is provided, about whose horizontal axis (17 ) aswivel arm (4 ) is arranged in a pivoting manner, wherein the swivel arm(4 ) contains another rotary joint (18 ), about whose horizontal axis(19 ) the support element (9 ) and the work surface (3 ) connected withit are arranged in a pivoting manner.
 2. Work table pursuant to claim 1,characterized by the fact that on the central column (5 ) a leg rest (2) is arranged, which is fastened to the central column (5 ) via asupport fork (8 ).
 3. Work table pursuant to claim 2, characterized bythe fact that the support fork (8 ) is axially displaceable on thecentral column (5 ) and can be rotated about the vertical axis.
 4. Worktable pursuant to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the supportfork (8 ) can be rotated about the horizontal axis.
 5. Work tablepursuant to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the swivel arm (4 )and the support element (8 ) are seated in a continuously pivotingmanner about the horizontal axes (17, 19).
 6. Work table pursuant to oneof the claims 1 through 5, characterized by the fact that between theswivel arm (4 ) and the support element (9 ) a cable pull (10 ) isarranged for synchronous rotational coupling.
 7. Work table pursuant toclaim 6, characterized by the fact that the synchronous relation betweenthe rotation of the swivel arm (4 ) and the rotation of the supportelement (9 ) is designed in such a way that the support element (9 ) isaligned horizontally when the swivel arm (4 ) is aligned vertically andthe support element (9 ) is tilted by about 250 when the swivel arm (4 )is aligned horizontally.
 8. Work table pursuant to one of the claims 1through 7, characterized by the fact that in the swivel arm (4 ) ablockable gas pressure spring (13 ) is arranged, which on one hand isseated in a bearing (14 ) at an angle beneath the joint seating device(7 ) and on the other hand in a bearing (15 ) roughly in the center ofthe swivel arm (4 ).
 9. Work table pursuant to claim 8, characterized bythe fact that the gas pressure spring (13 ) in the unblocked state has agas spring thrust pressure, which compensates for the inherent weightsof the work surface (3 ), the support element (9 ) and the swivel arm (4).
 10. Work table pursuant to one of the claims 1 through 9 ,characterized by the fact that the base (6 ) is equipped with swivelrollers (20 ).